Portable knot-tying device



Feb. 16, 1965 J. w. ZOLEVZZI PORTABLE KNOT-TYING DEVICE Filed Nov. 8, 1962 INVENTOR JOHN ZOLEZZI BY (M11 ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,169,787 PORTABLE KNOT-TYING DEVICE John William Zolezzi, 82 Sycomore Road, Ciifton, NJ.

Filed Nov. 8, 1962, Ser. No. 236,215 Claims. (Cl. 28917) The invention relates to a knot tying device. More particularly, this invention relates to a small portable de vice for use in tying blood knots and allied knots.

Blood knots, or barrel knots as they are sometimes called, are used generally to fasten the free extremities of smooth lines when a secure, slippage-free knot is desired. This knot is most commonly used in tying leaders together. However, the free-hand tying of such knots is very diflicult, and frequently requires the efforts of more than one person. Accordingly, the object of the present invention is to provide a device which may be readily carried by an individual to facilitate the tying of blood knots, or the like.

The manner in which this and other objects of the invention are accomplished is described in the following specification, with reference to the appended drawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a knot tying device according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 22 of FIG. 1, with one of the retaining buttons depressed; and

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the device shown in FIG. 1, showing heavy and light lines in position for tightening the knot.

The knot tying device according to the invention is illustrated generally at 1, and includes a rectangular block member 2. Line locating leaf springs 3 and 4 are attached to the opposite large sides of the block by screws 5 and 6, respectively, which mesh with threaded bores in the sides of block member 2. The springs 3 and 4 are bent outwardly at their upper ends to facilitate disposition of the lines to be tied between the springs and the adjoining surfaces of the block.

Two through-bores 8 and 9 are included in block member 2, the bores each having large diameter portions 10 and 11, and small diameter portions 12 and 13, respectively. Disposed within the bores 8 and 9 are line retainer stems 14 and 15, having respective line retainer plates 16 and 17 peened to their upper extremities. Cup-shaped release buttons 13 and 19 are peened to the lower extremities of retainer stems 14 and 15, respectively, with their skirts extending into the bores. Compression springs 21) and 21 surround stems 14 and within the large diameter bore portions 10 and 11, the springs being compressed between the inner ends of the large diameter bore portions, and the inner surfaces of cup-shaped buttons 18 and 19, respectively. Thus, springs 20 and 21 urge line retainer plates 16 and 17, respectively, against the adjoining surface of the block member 2. In FIG. 2 the release button 18 is shown depressed against the pressure of the compression spring 20.

The manner in which the invention may be employed is illustrated in FIG. 3. By way of example, the lines are shown as being of different diameters. The lighter line 21 is deposited between the line holding leaf spring 4 and the adjoining side of the block 2, so that an end 24 of line 21 extends beyond block 2. The heavy line 22 is disposed between line holding spring 3 and its adjoining block surface, leaving a corresponding loose end 23. As shown, lines 21 and 22 are introduced into their respective line holding springs 3 and 4 from opposite ends of block 2. With one hand the operator then holds the free end of light line 21 against heavy line 22, and rotates block 2 four times with the other hand. Thereafter, release button 18 is depressed, end 24 inserted in the gap between end resimilarly wound three times around the first line 21 and the end 23 inserted, as described above, beneath retainer plate 17. 7

Lines 21 and 22 are subsequently removed upwardly from their respective line holding springs 3 and 4, and the lines drawn tight in the directions indicated by the arrows to tighten the knot. Finally, buttons 18 and 19 are depressed, and the tiedknot removed from the device.

Thus, it will be seen that with the structure of the invention the pair of plates 16 and 17 form together with the parts connected thereto a pair of releasable retaining means for retaining against one'face of the block 1 the ends of a pair of lines which respectively extend along opposite sides of the areas against which the retaining means 16 and 17 releasably press the ends of the lines, and one of the lines is wrapped around the other line before its end is releasably retained by one retaining means While the other line is wrapped around the said one line before the end of the other line is placed beneath the plate of the other retaining means to beheld by the retaining means against the upper face of the block 1, so that with this construction when the two lines are drawn apart from each other, as indicated by the arrows in FIG. 3, so as to tighten the knot the pair of lines will automatically slide over the top of the plates 16 and 17 causing the retained ends of the lines to be automatically drawn through the central part of the knot forming a pair of free tips which project laterally from the central part of the knot after the buttons 18 and 19 are pressed to release the retained ends. Therefore, with the invention it is unnecessary either to pass the ends of the lines through loops or to be sure to draw any parts of the lines over the free ends thereof inasmuch as the retaining plates 16 and 17 will automatically hold these line ends in position while the lines slip thereover to form the final knot.

It is to be understood that the invention is described by means of a preferred embodiment thereof, and that many modifications thereof will be obvious to one skilled in the art. In addition, the invention may be used in various manners to tie the desired knot, or modifications thereof, and the invention should not be limited except as defined in the following claims.

What I claim is:

1. A knot-tying device comprising a block and a pair of releasable retaining means carried by said block for releasably retaining the ends of a pair of lines, respectively, against a face of the block including a pair of substantially fiat retaining plates and spring means respectively urging said plates into engagement with said face of the block.

2. A knot-tying device comprising a block having an elongated end face, a pair of short opposed side faces, and a pair of long opposed side faces, a pair of releasable retaining means carried by said block for releasably retain ing the ends of a pair of lines respectively against the face of the block, said releasable retaining means being spaced in the direction of the length of the end face, and a pair of releasable holding means, one on each of the longer opposed side faces for holding the lines.

3. A device as recited in claim 1 and wherein said block is formed vn'th a pair of bores passing therethrough and wherein said retaining means includes elongated pins respectively fixed to said plates and extending through said bores, a pair of cups connected to the ends of said pins distant from said plates, and said spring means including a pair of springs respectively coiled around said pins and engaging said cups and said block for urging said plates against said face of said block.

4. A device as recited in claim 3 and wherein said block 3 is'forlned with enlarged bore portions receiving said cup the latter having skirts which move into said enlarged bore I portions and which surrounds said springs and said cups end thereof retained between one retaining plate and said I end face of the block while the other line is wrapped being located beyond said block when said retaining plates are adjacent to said block sothat the operator can conveniently press said cups to move said plates in opposition to said springs away from said face of the block.

5. A knot-tying device comprising, a substantially retangularblock having a flat end face and formed with a pair of bores p'assing through said'bloclr perpendicularly to said end face, a pair ofelongated pins extending freely through said bores, a pair of retaining plates respectively fixed to said pins for'engaging said end face, a pair of around said one line and has its end retained between the other retaining plate and said end face of said block where upon the pair of lines can be pulled apart from each other to tighten a knot which automatically slips over said retaining plates to cause the retained ends of saidlines to be drawn through the central portions of the knot and to form a pair of tips projecting from the knot, the pair of pins then being pushed in opposition torthe pair of spring 7 means to displa'ce the retaining ends of the lines from the block. a

References Cited by the Examiner v UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,469,037 5/49 Harvey 2s9-17 2,734,299 2/56 Masson 289-17 DONALD w. PARKER, Primary Examiner.

RUSSELL c. MADER, Examiner; 

1. A KNOT-TYING DEVICE COMPRISING A BLOCK AND A PAIR OF RELEASABLE RETAINING MEANS CARRIED BY SAID BLOCK FOR RELEASABLY RETAINING THE ENDS OF A PAIR OF LINES, RESPECTIVELY, AGAINST A FACE OF THE BLOCK INCLUDING A PAIR OF SUBSTANTIALLY FLAT RETAINING PLATE AND SPRING MEANS RESPECTIVELY URGING SAID PLATES INTO ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID FACE OF THE BLOCK. 